The house seemed to groan again, almost in frustration. Like it wanted to be left alone. Well, it was out of luck.
I climbed to my feet and brushed off the seat of my trousers, then headed to the front door. The floor beneath me shifted, ejecting me through the entryway. I stumbled, nearly losing my footing, then whirled around to glare at the house. “I get it, okay? You’re grumpy. But I’m going to fix that.”
The door slammed in my face.
“Rude.” I turned and headed down the hill. I needed to find a way to fix that house’s mood, stat. It wouldn’t be safe to work there until I got a better handle on what was happening inside.
Poa waited for me at the door to the boathouse, lounging in a patch of sunlight. Her orange, white, and black fur gleamed beautifully, and she squinted up at me through the bright light, her gaze going to my shortened hair. That’s a new look.
“Do you like it?”
Yes. You look less Little House on the Prairie.
“Um, thanks.”
How did it go at our new house?
“Fantastic,” I said wryly, looking back up at the place, which seemed to glower at me. “You didn’t want to see for yourself?
She gave a wheezy laugh, which I supposed was the best a cat could do. No. I knew it would be a nightmare.
“More like a ghost.”
Do you think?
“I don’t know. But I’ve got no skill with the dead. I know where to find someone who might, though.”
Who?
“There was a coven in town. I saw the sign on my way to the salon. They should be able to help me.” Covens weren’t the whimsical groups of forest witches that human fiction depicted them to be. Rather, they were businesses formed by groups of witches to help others solve their problems. There were plenty of supernaturals who couldn’t do magic, like werewolves and vampires and witches who had ignored their own skills for too long.
I looked at my phone, realizing that it was almost five o’clock. Time had passed more quickly than I’d realized while I checked out the house. The coven probably shut their door at five, but if I hurried, I’d make it there in time. I looked at Poa. “Want to come?”
She scrunched her face. There’s only a little sun left. I’m not leaving this spot until its gone.
“Suit yourself.” I shrugged. “There might be a handsome tom there, though.”
Pass. She rolled over so that her white belly faced the sun.
I grinned and hurried to the car, then drove back into town. I found a parking spot right in front of the coven storefront. As I climbed out, my phone buzzed in my pocket. A text came through from Tommy, then another and another. I deleted all of them, then blocked his number. He hated being ignored, and I loved the idea of how irritated he would be.
The thought put a pep in my step as I walked toward the Aurora Coven, reveling in the wild autumn day by the sea. The wind had whipped up even stronger, and as the sun neared the horizon, it was cooling off. On the sea, the whitecaps tipped the waves, and most of the birds had abandoned the sky.
Inside the Aurora Coven storefront, the room was cozy and welcoming. A fire burned in the hearth, and two witches sat in cozy armchairs in front of it. Bookshelves and plants filled the space, and I immediately felt at home.
Both witches smiled as they stood. One was tall, with long blond hair, and the other wore a pretty scarf tied through her dark curls.
“Hello,” said the blonde. “What can we help you with?”
“Hi. I’ve got a bit of a problem.” I blew out a breath, unsure of where to start.
“Let me get you a cup of tea,” the blonde said. “I’m Emma, by the way.”
“Hi, I’m Isobel.”
“Holly.” The other woman waved and smiled, then gestured to the third chair in front of the fire. I took a seat while Emma disappeared into a back room.
Holly sat, then leaned forward. “You’re a witch.”
“I am. But not skilled.”
Holly frowned. “I feel your power, though. You’re strong.”
I winced. It was almost worse to be powerful but unskilled—it was just evidence that I’d neglected my gifts. Holly seemed to notice my discomfort, though, and said quickly, “That’s okay, we can help you with that.”
It wasn’t the reason I’d come, but it was a great idea. I needed to master my magic, and after what I’d seen at the house today, that was the only way I’d be able to fix the place up in time. There was no way I could do all that work with elbow grease alone.
Emma returned with the tea, setting the tray on the little table in front of the fire. It was all so cozy that I was immediately in love. She poured the tea, then handed me a mug and said, “Help yourself to sugar and milk.”
“Thank you.” I added a splash of milk, then took a sip. It was fiercely hot but delicious.
“So, you’re new to town,” Emma said.
“I am. How did you know?”
“Well, we know everyone.” She smiled and shrugged. “But I know you’re not just a visitor because I stopped by Margot’s for coffee, and she told me about the newcomer at Lavender House.”
“That’s why I’m here,” I said, then I looked at Holly. “Though I could also use help with my power. But the house is my biggest concern right now. I need to fix it up in a month, but it’s got a ghost or a curse, or something. I’m not sure what, and I need help finding out.”
“I can assist you with that,” Emma said. “I’m good with ghosts.”
“Fantastic.” Relief rushed through me. “Thank you. This is the first help I’ve managed to find.”
Emma nodded, a sympathetic look on her face. “Yeah, that place is infamous. Not a single contractor will touch it.”
“I’m hoping they’ll change their minds if I can get rid of the ghost.”
“I can come by tomorrow morning, if that works for you,” Emma said.
“Perfect. Nine?”
She agreed, and I wondered how to broach the subject of my neglected magic. I hated talking about it. I didn’t need to, though. Holly leaned forward. “As for your magic…”
“It’s that obvious?” I asked.
“Just that you’re powerful. I only know about your lack of skill from what you said. But don’t worry.” Her warm smile was a balm to my embarrassment. “Do you know what your skill is?”
“I don’t.” Every witch had a specific skill to call her own—I just had no idea what mine was. “I also don’t know many spells, but I’m going to need some if I want to fix up this house. Do you maybe have a library of spell books I could use to brush up?”
“Of course.” Holly pointed toward the ceiling. “We have a workshop that will be perfect.”
“And we can help with pointers, if you need,” Emma said.
“Oh, I would love that.” How was I so lucky? “I know you’re probably closing soon, but would it be all right if I took a peek upstairs before you do?”
“We can do you one better,” said Emma. “I’ve got to make some potions. You can look at the books while I work.”
“Thank you. That’d be amazing.”
“Good luck, ladies, because I’m out of here,” Holly said. “I’ve been manning the desk all day, and I need a break.”